


Heir Apparent

by neil4god



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 11:55:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5047537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neil4god/pseuds/neil4god
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur doesn't get it, they're just so different, but somehow they're friends anyway. He's not really sure why that makes him uncomfortable, why would he be jealous of Gwaine and Merlin? All three of them are friends, sort of, but whenever Merlin leans into Gwaine's touch, Arthur feels his stomach dip. When Gwaine teases Merlin just to make him laugh, it wrenches at something in his chest and tears him into pieces. He needs to stop acting like such a girl and pull himself together, or better yet, get Merlin to stop dressing like a girl, then he could go back to ignoring all of this!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heir Apparent

Arthur knows Merlin and Gwaine are friends, he just isn’t sure how or why really. The first time Gwaine clapped eyes on Merlin he broke into hysterical laughter, pointing wildly at Merlin’s sticky outie ears and too short hair. Naturally Merlin’s response to this was to wallop him in the gut so hard the knight collapsed to his knees. Since then they have become inseparable. Gwaine sticks to Merlin’s side day and night. The only time he allows the manservant out of his sight is when Merlin is with Arthur and therefore working. Sometimes Arthur feels like a bodyguard, Gwaine gives him custody of Merlin in the morning and Arthur returns him in the evening. He doesn’t know how Merlin stands it!

Gwaine’s over-protectiveness had caused a lot of fights that first week or so, he even nearly came to blows with Arthur over some imagined injury. He was wildly protective of the younger boy and threatened anyone who so much as bruised the boy. That did not however prevent Merlin from getting bruised or joining Arthur on his many quests and adventures, even if Merlin would much rather stay at home than go hunting unicorns. Gwaine was content to let him tag along so long as both Arthur and himself were present. After the first few quests Gwaine had given up any pretence of protecting Arthur. He admitted it honestly to the prince, he would always protect Merlin first. Arthur liked to believe it was because unlike Merlin, Arthur was capable of looking after himself. Still it eased his mind a little to know that someone else would protect his dolt of a manservant when he couldn’t. 

Sharing custody of Merlin meant that Arthur now spent more time with Gwaine than any other knight, even Leon, his oldest friend. So when the other man came racing across the practice grounds clutching a pile of fabric to his chest and screaming out Merlin’s name, Arthur knew that something was very wrong. Arthur tugged the manservant forward, tugging the practice sword out of the younger man’s hands. Whatever was about to happen, it was best if Merlin wasn’t armed, even with a wooden sword the boy could cause himself untold damage. His clumsiness had become legendary amongst the knights of Camelot. 

When they came even to Gwaine the older knight was panting and gasping as he shoved the rich fabric at Merlin’s face until the servant took it from him. Some dark look passed between them that Arthur couldn’t decipher, but from the way Merlin glared at the fabric he knew it could not be good. Wheezing between breaths and clearly hungover, Gwaine ground out “Too late to hide, they know you’re here now. He’s waiting in the castle with Uther, he’s expecting you.”  
If possible what little colour there was in Merlin’s face disappeared entirely. The young man looked petrified and Arthur’s heart twisted. Whatever evil was about to befall them, he would stand with Merlin and protect him as was his duty as Merlin’s master, friend, something. 

White knuckles gripped the fabric harder as if Merlin wanted to rend it in two. Carefully, Arthur extracted it from his clutches and shook it out. He couldn’t help the bellow of laughter, it was a dress! Gwaine wanted Merlin to dress as a woman, oh this might be the greatest day of his life. No wonder Merlin looked murderous. “Where did you get a dress?”  
Instead of answering him, Gwaine clasped hands with Merlin and spoke directly to him, begging, “Please princess.”  
He did that a lot, when Gwaine was at his most sincere, his most desperate, he would call Merlin princess and always the younger boy gave in. Personally Arthur hated the nickname and didn’t understand why Merlin allowed it. Frankly, Arthur didn’t really understand their friendship at all. 

Whatever resistance Merlin had been mustering disappeared entirely at those words and Arthur felt his chest cave in a little just like it always did when he chose Gwaine over him. Not that there was anything to choose exactly, but it felt that way sometimes. He tries not to look to closely at his feelings for Merlin, they only tend to confuse him. Nodding quietly, Merlin stole the dress from Arthur’s hands and went off to presumably put it on. That left him and Gwaine in the courtyard not really sure what to say. Something was obviously going on and as desperate as he was to see Merlin in a dress, it would be better than the feathery hat! He wasn’t as eager to know what had upset them both enough to resort to such extreme measures of disguise. They stayed in silence, Gwaine quietly getting his breath back until Merlin returned, now dressed as a woman to the practice yard. 

Automatically his hands crept to his shirt, pulling the baggy red fabric out of his trousers so Merlin wouldn’t see just how much he liked this new look. He didn’t look ridiculous, he looked feminine and graceful. The dress showed off his slim neck and delicate features, he had even done something to give himself breasts! The rich red velvet sat beautifully against his milky skin and Arthur couldn’t help it, as a servant boy Merlin was attractive, but as a woman Merlin was temptation itself. The lingering fears that haunted him late at night when he pondered his unfeasible attraction to a man, disappeared completely. He didn’t like men, he liked Merlin, especially dressed as a woman. 

He didn’t stop, instead Merlin marched towards the castle, his head held high and the two knights, one still befuddled, followed after like lost ducklings. The guards gave sharp inhales of breath at the sight, but none dared stop them. Some knew Merlin well and goggled at the transformation, the ones who didn’t stared at Arthur, at his ruddy cheeks and confused manner. By the time they reached the throne room Arthur was composed enough to tuck in his shirt and fix his hair, it was best not to show weakness near his father. He knew there were important guests his father had warned him about late last evening. Uther had wanted Arthur to stay away from them, didn’t want to risk his son to their enchantments. 

The throne room was filled with only the most essential people, his father’s hatred towards magic had insured that only those required would risk being bespelled. Personally Arthur thought it was a little extreme. Their guests may have had magic, but they had been allies all through the purge and never once rebelled against Uther’s regime. Gaius had explained long ago that the pact between Camelot and the Fairy Lands was created by magic and therefore they couldn’t rebel, not until the treaty was destroyed. The pact should only end with Uther’s death so they couldn’t hurt anyone, no matter what his father feared. 

The room was divided into Camelot and Fey, Arthur made his way automatically to his father’s side, only noticing when he stopped at the dais that Merlin and Gwaine were no longer with him. Instead they walked towards the centre of the room, Merlin almost looked regal in his gown. King Balinor’s face seemed carved of rock as Gwaine dropped to his knees before him and Merlin continued his approach. Arthur kept a steadying hand on his father as he spluttered as Camelot’s knight fawned over a foreign king. It took both hands to keep him sitting when he recognized Merlin. 

Merlin’s head dipped politely in acknowledgement of the king and Arthur really needed to teach him proper respect, that is not how a servant greets a king. Maybe Gwen would be willing to help, she’s always respectful, at least when they’re in public. Instead of being outraged by Merlin’s actions, Balinor swept the boy into his arms, hugging him tighter than seemed possible. This is not what was supposed to happen, Merlin was supposed to hide in plain sight then spend all day tomorrow in the stocks for impersonating a lady. Merlin, the giant girl that he was, was crying all over the foreign king. Balinor’s nobles muttered to themselves too low for Arthur to hear. He could imagine though and it did not bode well for his manservant. 

Pulling apart, finally, Arthur stepped forward to rescue his servant before he made an even bigger fool of himself, but was stopped by his father. Making the move look intentional, Uther smiled falsely at the other king and introduced them, “King Balinor, this is my son, the Crown Prince of Camelot.”  
He heard his father’s pride and the reprimand meant only for him, it would not do for Arthur to forget his place. As if remembering his manners, Balinor swept a hand through Merlin’s short hair and kissed her forehead before he spoke, “King Uther, Prince Arthur, I present to you my daughter the Crown Princess Merlin Ambrosius Emrys.”


End file.
